Question Can't install macOS on my old 2009 Macbook ?

[royrichard1290]

I have an old 2009 Macbook that was working fine for a while, but I suspected it had malware so I wanted to format the hard drive and reinstall macOS. It had the High Sierra version on it. I booted into recovery mode and formatted the hard drive, but when I tried to reinstall the OS from there I got the error message "the recovery server cannot be contacted". I thought it might have been my internet, but I found a Reddit thread that said Apple has shut down those recovery servers.

So I tried creating a bootable USB with High Sierra on it. The thing is I don't think I can create one with that Macbook as there is no OS on it at the moment, and my only other computer has Windows. The Apple troubleshooting website does not have any solutions for those using Windows, only Mac. So I used these links to try to solve this:

macOS Sierra

macOS High Sierra helps you rediscover your best photos, shop faster and more conveniently online, and work more seamlessly between devices.

www.techspot.com

How to quickly create a macOS bootable USB on Windows 10 - Pureinfotech

Here are the steps to create a macOS bootable USB media (Ventura) with GPT partition support on Windows 10, 11, 8.1, and 7 to rescue your Mac.

pureinfotech.com

I downloaded a .dmg file from Techspot, and the second link is a guide for creating the bootable usb. But it doesn't seem to work. When I hold the options key while booting, it only shows the hard drive, not the usb. I looked around in recovery mode for a solution, but there was nothing. And now I don't know what to do. It's starting to seem like I can only throw that laptop out at this point. Is it so? Any help?

 

[hedwar2011]

You should have an option to enter the boot menu on your MacBook that allows you to use the USB drive. Make sure the USB drive is compatible (not 3.0).

 

[royrichard1290]

Yeah but do you know how? I tried holding the options button while booting, like I said in the OP, and I tried holding the power button which changed nothing.

 

[royrichard1290]

So I figured out that the dmg file I got was an update. I downloaded another dmg file and it shows up when I hold the options button while starting, however when I click it it goes into recovery mode, and when I try to install it it says the file is damage and can't be used. I tried a couple other downloads for dmg files through Google but neither of them will show up while booting.

These are the links I got the files from:

https://www.wikigain.com/create-macos-high-sierra-bootable-usb-installer-windows-10/

macOS.High.Sierra.10.13.6 directory listing

https://techsprobe.com/download-macos-high-sierra-10-13-6-dmg-file-full/

 

[BaguetteOmelette]

Try changing the date and time in terminal to any date in 2015, sometimes the certificate is seen as invalid as the current date is too far in the future for this OS.
Works sometimes!
If not, get somebody with a mac to make that bootable USB for you and try again.

Here s a link on the terminal command, you can access terminal from the Utilities Menu in Recovery Mode!

HOW TO: Change system date in OS X from Terminal

If you haven't used your Mac in a long time or bought a used dead Mac, the system date may be out of whack, here's how to change it from Terminal.

techaeris.com